Post Tagged with: "Puerto vallarta experiences"

Are you ready for some food and fun? This year’s Festival Gourmet International is nearly here and Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit, & Tepic are ready to eat! This exciting culinary event began back in 1995 when local chefs Thierry Blouet and Heinz Reize created the Festival Gourmet International in order to promote local restaurants and the Puerto Vallarta food scene. They invited internationally recognized chefs to attend the festival, and the Festival Gourmet International has grown over the years to become a huge success.

Festival Gourmet International

Originally, the first Festival Gourmet International was comprised of just six local hotels and six independent restaurants. Today, the general format remains the same in that each local restaurant or hotel invites a chef to host their event. The 2018 Festival Gourmet International will feature twenty-eight hotels and restaurants and more than half a million people have attended the festivals over the years. In addition to event attendees, almost six hundred celebrity chefs have participated in the festival over the years. The Festival Gourmet International is an important event for Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit and has played a part in elevating the local food scene to an international level.

Delicious Tasting Menus

The 2018 Festival Gourmet International will start with a bang on Friday, Nov. 23rd at the Hilton Hotel’s Jalisco Hall. This first event offers guests the opportunity to personally meet the guest chefs and taste a variety of exquisite cuisine. The event will run through Sunday, Dec. 2nd and each of the participating restaurants and hotels will host special events where invited chefs will prepare and share their culinary creations with attendees. Depending on the particular event they attend, festival attendees will be treated to either delicious tasting menu or a gourmet a la carte dinner. In addition to enjoying amazing food, festival attendees will be served a premium selection of wines, tequilas and beers.

Premium Local Restaurants

The best restaurants in the region are included in this year’s festival. Premiere participating restaurants include La Casona, Bocados STK, Cafe des Artistes and many others. La Casona will feature a Mediterranean menu created by head Chef Leonardo Castro. La Casona is situated in the upscale Villa La Estancia in the Nuevo Vallarta neighborhood of Riviera Nayarit. Chef Castro uses international-level techniques that are a fusion of French, Italian,Thai, Asian, Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine. La Casona’s invited Chef’s are Penny Davidi & Luciano Mier Santoro who will be on hand to offer their culinary expertise. Villa La Estancia’s La Casona restaurant is best known for preparing specialty and fine choices of meat like Kobe and New York cuts.

Top Events And Chefs

Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa will also host an event at Bocados STK Mixology and Grill restaurant. Head Chef Álvaro Cortez will head up the event, and Cortez was formerly the head chef at Villa del Palmar in Cancun. This year, Chef Cortez will be joined by invited guest chef Andrés García González who is now working as the Executive Chef at the Villa del Palmar Cancun resort. In October 2010, García González represented Mexico abroad when he participated in the “Passion in Paris” Trophy contest in France.

Mole and Mariachi

Nothing is more Mexican than mole and mariachi! This year’s Festival Gourmet International will also feature an exciting Night of Mole and Mariachi at the renowned Cafe des Artistes on Nov. 28th at 8pm. Mole is one of Mexico’s most delicious and traditional dishes, and Mariachi music is so passionate and impressive, it is sure to be a magical evening that you must not miss. Did you know that Cafe des Artistes is a world renowned fine dining restaurant is in a class of its own? They are one of the top restaurants in the region and have been serving up incredible and unique dishes for over 27 years. Cafe des Artistes Head chef and founder Thierry Blouet has been the driving force in elevating the Puerto Vallarta food scene to an internationally competitive level cuisine.

Make sure to get your tickets for this year’s 2018 Festival Gourmet International in Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit & Tepic. It is guaranteed to be the culinary event of the year!

Puerto Vallarta is a world class destination in Mexico that is renowned for incredible vacations packed with unique experiences in unforgettable surroundings. There is an endless number of things to do in Puerto Vallarta, below are just some ideas that you could fit into a week in Puerto Vallarta.

1. Malecon and Flea Market

No matter where you are staying – in the hotel zone, the Marina, the South beach area or in Nuevo Vallarta – you must schedule some time for downtown Puerto Vallarta and the Malecon. The center still retains its colonial charm mixed with the tropics with the boardwalk, known as the Malecon, keeping tourists delighted with bars, restaurants, stores and tequila tastings. The perfect time to visit the Malecon is in the afternoon until sunset, where you are guaranteed the most blissful sunsets over the ocean anytime of the year. Partygoers may save the Malecon until after 11pm, when it really takes on another colorful vibe.

At the end of the Malecon, you will come to some arches where there are daily performances and street artists. Opposite, across from the main plaza, you will see the Church of Guadalupe, which is a common feature on postcards and tour guides. A little further south, you will come to more shops and eventually end at the beginning of the flea market and the River Cuale stalls. There is no end to your traditional Mexican souvenir opportunities.

2. Hidden Beaches

Besides the beautiful beach that is sure to greet you at your hotel, on the southern shore from Puerto Vallarta, there are lots of hidden beaches that you have to rent a boat or yacht to get to. The more popular beaches can be reached by water taxi, while others are serviced by special tours or private charters. There is nothing quite like exploring a beach that has no road access. In some, like Yelapa and Quimixto, you can walk to waterfalls once you are there.

3. Pleasure Cruises and Pirates

There is a wide selection of pleasure boats and party cruises to enjoy, depending on the kind of music you like and your budget. One of the most highly recommended is the pirate show on the Marigalante pirate ship. This show, known as Pirates of the Bay, leaves every night of the year from the cruise port, delivering a colorful show of betrayal and acrobatics. Your ticket also includes all you can drink as well as dinner. You can take a daytime cruise on the Marigalante too, which is perfect for kids, although children are welcome in the evening family show too.

4. Whale Watching and Diving

During the summer, Puerto Vallarta is perfect for diving thanks to the warm temperatures where wearing a wetsuit becomes optional. You can see any number of marine life, although turtles come into their high season from around July. Whale watching is possible from November through March, when the water temperature drops a little. It is incredible to see these mammals jumping in the water at close proximity to your boats as well as from the shoreline. It is not unheard of to see whales jumping from the Malecon.

5. Canopy Zip Lining

The lush tropical jungle that covers the mountains which cradle Puerto Vallarta provide the ideal setting for magical zip line tours. You can cross river-worn ravines, waterfalls, treetops and streams on a thrilling adventure zipping across the rainforest canopy. There are many different options to try, so make sure to check out the routes and prices for each one before committing. Most zip line tours also offer ATVs for off road fun for an additional cost.